Ethyl benzoylformate → (-)-Ethyl mandelate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Ethyl phenylglyoxylate (1.6 mmol) was asymmetrically reduced in the same manner as in Example 6, except that DMF was used as the reaction medium, giving 0.25 g of ethyl (R)-(-)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetate, having specific rotation [α]D20 of 38.8° (cl. 00, CHCl3). The synthesis yield was 80% and the optical yield was 75% e.e.

Provenance & Evidence